A freelancer and not utilizing LinkedIn? Lemme tell you, the people you think as competitors are not really your competitors, YOU’RE FAR BEHIND THEM!
Here’s why:
(Because they’ll prefer professionals with vivid credibility over strangers)
Following these simple steps, you can establish a successful LinkedIn profile that can show you a gold mine of quality clients!
Here’s a breakdown of how you can optimize the sections of your LinkedIn profile which can attract potential clients at first glance.
Hint: Change your profile to “private” so you can easily play around with your profile without broadcasting it to all your LinkedIn connections.
Human nature is to judge a person by his looks. That tells the significance of your LinkedIn profile picture.
It’s the second most important thing which clients notice after landing on your profile. (The first word from you, about you!)
Search results are also based on headlines.
You have 2 options for this:
(Looks like this: Content writer | Blogger | Freelancer | Top Rated professional on Legiit)
(For example, I help brands boost awareness and grow their business. Top-rated content writer on Legiit)
The keyword option is best for the search engines and robots, the second option is best for human beings because:
Here’s how you can personalize your URL in 3 simple steps:
Your headline catches the attention, your summary reels them in.
A quick guide on how to sell your services in summary:
(Like how they can reach you and write “I’m always open to new prospects”).
Your portfolio is the proof of your word. Use this space to demonstrate your skills by:
In short, showcase everything you’ve!
Because this is the only space that can prove your expertise in your field.
If you have work experiences that can add value and credibility to your profile, put them up.
And you can leave your job experiences that are not directly related to your work. (i-e your high-school pizza delivery days)
Here’s how being a freelancer at LinkedIn is different from being a potential employee, and that is why you must add “Freelancer” to your profile experience:
So here are a few suggestions to set up your experience section:
Group those small freelance projects you’ve done for many different clients and name this entry with your business name and choose the type of work from the options.
If you’ve worked on a specific project for a longer period, add it as a separate work experience, and don’t forget to include a quote from your satisfied happy client.
Caution: Don’t list your client as an “employer”, instead make it clear that it was a freelance work.
An endorsement is the equivalent of a 5-star review on Legiit.
LinkedIn profiles with a high number of endorsements are more likely to be approached by the clients as they have a high level of trust score.
Don’t hesitate to ask for a LinkedIn endorsement from your happy client. It can boost your chances of being approached by new clients.
The easiest way to get an endorsement is by writing it yourself for your colleagues. They’ll be persuaded to return the favor.
Pro tip: Re-arrange your most endorsed skill at the first position.
Adding relevant skills to your profile lets people endorse you. Adding as many skills as you can lets you stand out in an ocean of boring resumes and dull headshots.
Opportunities don’t present themselves out of the blue but through visible online presence.
Here’s what you can do about it:
There’s a hidden tool on LinkedIn where you can create your services just like freelancing websites and reach prospective clients.
Here’s how:
Cold contacting is uncomfortable in real life but not on LinkedIn ?
People send InMails and connection requests to professionals in higher positions, and they often accept it to increase their chances of reaching competent employees.
Pro tip: Never send generic messages. Profoundly connect with them by starting with a reference of an article of theirs you recently read and point out the connections you share.
A personalized approach can increase your chances of getting a response.
Ask for recommenders who are relevant to your field, and can validate your expertise, skill, and credibility in your present field.
(Asking a former boss at a restaurant may not create the kind of impact you want)
In order to grow, you need to demonstrate your presence first.
Your competitors are already engaging themselves in fruitful discussions on LinkedIn where clients hunt for talent and skills.
Here’s a guide that can help you grow as a freelancer.
Also, follow these steps:
Just as some people like to poke their nose in every discussion on Facebook, you should do that on LinkedIn (in a valuable way) ?
There are 2 benefits of publishing posts directly on LinkedIn and how they’re different from your everyday blog:
Quick Tips:
After joining relevant groups in your field, don’t just leave “great post” and “very nice” at every post.
Take some time to write a valuable reply which can place a good impression on the people.
The more valuable your comment, the more likely you’ll get a response, and attract potential clients.
Pro tip: You can find relevant groups by writing your keyword into the search field and then narrowing down the results to groups.
A skill assessment test can prove your expertise and display a “Verified Skills” badge on your profile.
A profile with many verified badges is more likely to get offers than a general profile.
Note: Displaying the result of the test is entirely voluntary and you can retake the skills test as many times as you want.
John Espirian, a successful content writer once said:
“Your profile sells. Your content tells.”
Answer these questions in your mind:
Do your research by going through their profile.
After making sure you’ve their answers, follow the 3 E’s of Goulet for your content:
This ultimate guide can help you create valuable content, the market loves.
Tools like Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner and Moz, etc can help you find topics that can lead to more engagement and reach.
Your headline has a lot of heavy lifting to do because 80% of the people who visit a blog judge content through the headline.
Studies show that instructional phrases like “things you need to know” and “here’s why you should do that” are more likely to be read and shared by people.
Similarly “Tips & Tricks” and “How to” posts win the internet.
Put yourself in their shoes and write. This way, they will relate, engage, and may consider you as a thought leader within your field.
Push marketing is out, pull marketing is in.
Write content that will draw people towards you instead of blatantly selling them anything. It will enable you to attract clients rather than irritating them.
“Only dead fish goes with the flow”
Develop your image with your opinion. People always have comments on politics, religion, industry, and style. When you’ll share your own thoughts, people will not hesitate to share their opinions too.
Just as success stories inspire, failure stories let people empathize. When you open up and express your feelings about a failure or success journey, it instinctively builds trust, and your followers feel they know you.
This doesn’t mean to shorten the length, but to narrow down the focus of the article.
Your article should have a single clear idea. For example:
Bad: How to increase your marketing
Better: Ways to do small business advertising
Best: How social media can boost advertising for SaaS startups
Using the first line, one cannot create a useful piece of information because the concept is just too wide.
A topic with a narrow focus can let you create valuable content about a specific topic.
This guide can help you avoid some deadly blogging mistakes people make.
By posting valuable content with strategy, you will increase your influence, build respect, and eventually boost up your engagement.
A content calendar can help you manage your tasks. Here’s how you can create it.
fatimahzohra
Hello! My name is Fatima. I'm a creative writer and I write Articles, Blogs, e-B...
Hello! My name is Fatima. I'm a creative writer and I write Articles, Blogs, e-Books, Web Content, unique short stories, essays and anything which can bring change in this world because I think "A drop of ink may make a billion think." I'm a self-disciplined Optimistic person possessing vivid imagination and curiosity because I believe curiosity is the source of our creativity. I'm self-motivated because I know whatever I write, it will have a voice. I'm a voracious reader and I believe 'If there is a book you want to read and it hasn't been written yet, you must be the one to write it.'
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